You've had enough of long winters, and now it's time to consider where best to retire. Maybe you have family in Jacksonville, FL, since it's growing fast. Maybe you are interested in still having some semblance of seasons rather than the non-stop summer of Miami. Some recent publications have ranked Jacksonville (JAX, Duuuval, River City) as one of the top destinations for retiring, but you might be wondering what locals think of this assessment. You can click on the link for what one local blogger said, but here's a summary:

Jacksonville has yet to be discovered by retirees because there isn't a whole lot in the area set up specifically for older people. That means there aren't the retirement communities filled with old-people stores and restaurants. You may or may not want to be an afterthought. It's cheaper, but there's crime and traffic to avoid, like in any real city.

Basically, if you're good with creating a scenario for your own retirement, you might want to look at Jacksonville. If you'd rather pay for someone else to figure it out for you, then you're better off finding a retirement community. Keep in mind that those are really expensive, and your grandkids would probably rather visit you near civilization than somewhere in central Florida.

If you do start leaning towards JAX as a retirement option, then be sure to read both of the linked articles. They outline all the major positives and negatives of the area through the lens of someone who is fairly new to the area, like you will be. Florida is not Wisconsin, or Illinois, or Ohio, and even people from the Midwest change when they decide to move to the state. Sure, there might be a Culver's (soon) in town, but that doesn't mean you'll feel right at home right away. Therefore, learn as much as you can about the area before you make a commitment.